Chapter 50 - The Test [7]
I thought there would be some new feelings when we stepped foot onto the second floor... But it was really nothing special.
The heavy air felt identical to the damp, dark passages we had just left behind, carrying the same faint scent of moisture and old stone.
"...?"
It was just the same as when we were on the first floor.
I paused for a second, glancing around the high vaulted ceiling to see if there were any subtle changes in the ambient mana flow.
But there are no sudden stronger surge of mana or heavier atmosphere.
There was no sudden drop in temperature, no suffocating pressure, and no immediate shift in the density of the air around us.
’I guess I was worrying too much about the second floor.’
I exhaled softly, easing the slight tension in my shoulders as I let [Frost] rest comfortably at my hip once again.
Anyway, the environment remained the same; we’re still like inside of a massive cave with a lot of minerals and crystals scattered around. The rough rock walls were still lined with patches of glowing blue ore, casting faint, scattered shadows along the wide stone path ahead of us.
This is normal... Even in the game, nothing really big will change environmentally until you reach the fourth floor and beyond of this dungeon.
The early levels of this subterranean system were designed with a consistent cavernous layout, keeping the terrain predictable for lower-tier explorers.
"We reached our first goal much faster than planned and expected."
Crystal muttered as we finally stepped foot toward the second floor.
She stopped near the threshold, holding her staff in one hand as she looked back down the dark archway we had just passed through.
The others were momentarily stupefied when that realization came over to them, looking around all proud and surprised.
Zion blinked in disbelief, looking down at his sword and then back at the wide cavern expanse spread out before us on this new level.
Then all of a sudden, they all looked towards me without saying anything. I just smiled and shrugged. They stood there in silence for a few seconds, their eyes fixed on me as if trying to process just how easily we had cleared the entire first floor.
"You’re welcome."
I told them that, acting all smug.
I gave a light, confident grin, breaking their quiet stare before turning around to take the lead position on the path once again.
... ... ...
Anyway, we continued travelling again not long after stepping inside the second floor.
The passage widened significantly, allowing us to maintain a more open tactical formation as we pushed deeper into the unknown territory.
And the first monsters we encountered were Hobgoblins again.
A patrol of four hulking green creatures stepped out from behind a massive cluster of glowing crystals, growling as soon as they spotted our party.
But they’re not Hobgoblin Champions like the floor boss earlier. They’re just normal Hobgoblin warriors.
They carried rough iron axes and crude wooden shields, lacking the refined mana-coating, specialized weapons, and high intelligence of the mini boss.
So they’re stronger than monsters from the first floor, but weaker than the mini boss.
Their physical size and raw strike power were certainly a step up from basic goblins, but their attack patterns were still extremely basic and predictable.
And it seems like Zion, Cindy, Cordelia, and Crystal still have a lot of energy.
They didn’t look tired at all after our short rest in the boss chamber, their movements brimming with confidence and fresh readiness.
After all—
They didn’t even wait for me to take a stance before springing directly into action.
SLASH!
Zion blurred forward instantly, his heavy blade cutting through the air with incredible speed and cleaving the first Hobgoblin’s iron axe cleanly in half.
PHUCK!
Cindy slipped through the shadows on the left flank, driving her weapon straight into the side of another monster’s throat before it could even turn its head.
WHIP- SPLASH!
Cordelia flicked her wrist from the mid-line, her water whip snapping forward with a sharp crack that shattered the arm of the third warrior trying to raise its shield.
B O O O M!!!
Crystal raised her staff, unleashing a condensed sphere of flame that detonated right in the center of their small formation, finishing off the entire patrol in a blinding flash.
They annihilated every enemy that we crossed paths with without waiting for my buffs or my ice to restrict the enemies. The entire engagement lasted less than ten seconds, leaving behind only scattered smoke and quiet echoes in the large cavern corridor.
Zion killed multiple of them with a single swing of his mana coated sword, Cindy aimed for the leaders from the shadows, Cordelia attacked from afar to make the goblins wary of her, and lastly--Crystal used explosive magic to end the fight on one go.
They synergized perfectly as a vanguard squad, covering each other’s blind spots and overlapping their offensive ranges without making a single mistake.
’Just as I thought... we can pass the test without me having to do anything, and being in the top spots is pretty much guaranteed now as well.’
I thought to myself watching them.
I leaned back, watching the four of them smoothly shake the blood off their weapons without showing a hint of fatigue.
Then with a smile on my face—
I stepped forward, gesturing down the dark, winding highway of the second floor with a nod of my head.
"Come on, let’s find more enemies and take the top spot for the test."
I told them that.
I kept my tone light and motivating, letting them take the spotlight while I continued to maintain our overall route through the dungeon layout.
The others looked at me, Zion and Cindy were smiling as they nodded their heads. Crystal and Cordelia looked determined as well to aim for the top.
And so with that—our group continued to travel through the second floor and hunt monster groups.
We moved like a relentless machine through the subterranean tunnels, clearing out every patrol, ambush, and beast nest that crossed our designated path.
... ... ...
The hours passed by quickly as we accumulated monster kills, pushing through long stretches of crystal-lit passages without facing any real threats.
... ... ...
Our coordination only grew sharper with every encounter, allowing us to maintain a rapid marching pace while keeping our mana consumption at a minimum.
... ... ...
*****
The sheer number of cleared monster groups behind us meant our team’s evaluation score was climbing to an unreachable height compared to the other freshman parties.
But of course, eventually—we had to stop to sleep for the night after a few hours.
The strain of continuous movement and constant alertness finally began to show in the slight heaviness of their footsteps and quieter conversations.
We had to set up a temporary camp in a small chamber that I "coincidentally" found.
I guided them toward a hidden side passage concealed behind a large outcrop of dark blue minerals, leading directly into a small, dry stone room.
There are only a few monsters near the chamber and they don’t even actively try and check it, so it’s basically a safe zone. The natural layout of the surrounding tunnels funneled the regional monster patrols away from this specific dead-end alcove, keeping the area peaceful.
Of course I know it from the game.
This specific room was a well-known community resting spot on the second floor, frequently used by players during long dungeon grinding sessions.
Anyway, after setting up tents and sleeping bags—
The group laid out their light travel gear against the flat rock floor, unrolling their padded sleeping bags near the center of the secure chamber.
"I’ll stand guard first, you guys can rest and switch with me later."
I volunteered to stay up so they can all rest.
I stood near the narrow entrance of the side room, leaning against the cold stone wall while looking over at the exhausted party members.
They all tried to stop me, telling me that I already did a lot today.
Zion sat up from his sleeping bag, frowning slightly as he pointed out that I had been managing our entire navigation and support since we entered.
"Don’t worry, I’m just going to train my swordsmanship... I barely had the opportunity to use it on our way here."
But I just shook my head and told them that.
I raised [Frost] slightly, giving them a reassuring grin as I explained my intention to practice my forms while keeping watch over the perimeter.
That was true... They did most of the fighting and killing the monsters. I even only used [Frost] once during the mini boss fight, when I just killed it off.
My hands were practically itching for some actual combat exercise after spending the last several hours simply watching them tear through the local mobs.
After they heard that from me—they didn’t stop me anymore.
They exchanged a few glances before finally giving in, settling down into their respective sleeping bags as the physical exhaustion of the day took over.
So I waited for the four of them to fall asleep as I just swung [Frost] and practiced my swordsmanship.
I stepped quietly near the mouth of the alcove, executing smooth, repetitive thrusts and horizontal arcs with the slender blade to keep my muscles warm.
The soft, rhythmic sound of their breathing grew steady and deep, filling the quiet stone chamber as the hours drifted past midnight.
And when they were all knocked out sleeping—
I lowered my blade, turning my head to confirm that all four of them were completely submerged in deep, undisturbed rest.
"Hmm... It’s time to go on a small hunt."
I mumbled that to myself, smiling a little.
The realization I had earlier in the boss room was still burning brightly in my mind; killing monsters directly was the key to raising my actual stats and leveling up.
I stopped swinging my sword, and without making too much noise—
Tap... Tap... Tap...
I slowly walked away from the camp, heading toward the entrance of the chamber.
My boots made barely any sound against the smooth stone floor as I slipped out into the dark, quiet corridors of the second floor, ready to hunt alone in the dark.